ABSTRACT
In the absence of diplomatic ties, how has Taiwan maintained relations with African countries? This chapter compares the motivations of state and non-state actors in developing relations. The loss of Taiwan’s diplomatic partners in Africa is commonly assumed to be a consequence of China’s economic diplomacy, but examining the case of Malawi, the chapter finds that a closer diplomatic relationship with China does not automatically translate into greater overall economic growth. The chapter then considers the limits of interpreting economic performance metrics as the basis for state decision-making regarding diplomatic ties, drawing on the perspectives of non-state actors regarding what motivates actors to pursue closer relations between African countries and Taiwan. Based on interviews with African diplomats and students based in Taiwan, Taiwanese businesspeople based in Africa, and civil society actors who have worked or lived in African countries and helped promote informal relations, the chapter examines how Taiwanese and African business and civil society actors have promoted informal relations between Taiwan and African countries in the absence of government-to-government ties. The findings indicate that people-to-people relations may be more important than state-to-state relations in sustaining Taiwan’s diplomatic ties with Africa over the long run.
